Marie in Oh Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If so, was it worth the $$$? Man those things are expensive. Are you glad you spent the money? Where did you get it? Is it holding up? Thanks so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2legomaniacs Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a Rainbow. My mom got it for us. It was about 10+ years old when we got it, 7 years ago! It has held up really well. Those things are totally worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Yep. Ours cost $500 at Sams about 5 years ago. I think they've really gone up. But ds loves it as do all of the kids who visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have one that we got from BJ's, and it's holding up really well as far as I can tell. I think we've had it for 3 years now. It was significantly less expensive to get it from BJ's than it was from anywhere else. My kids LOVE it. I love that I can send them outside to swing or whatever and they entertain themselves for an hour or so. I didn't think we would get one, because we live very near to our neighborhood park, but once we decided to homeschool, I decided that I needed to be able to send the kids outside from time to time. It's been worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxxxxxxx Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 It was about $700 on sale. That was 4 years ago.....it needs to have a sealant put on the wood (like you would do a deck) but it is in great shape. My dc are 14, 11, & 9 and they still use it almost everyday. Swinging, climbing, sliding, sitting out there to read a book, etc.... It was a great investment and lots of fun for them and their friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We got it from Sam's. Since we got it from Sam's, we didn't have any choices. I do wish we had gotten one that was more proportional to our yard. Our yard is tiny and the playset is huge. But, since our yard is tiny the playset really gives the girls a place to get their energy out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 My FIL just bought one for the kids, we're still looking for someone with a truck to bring it home. We chose the Trailblazer (Adventure Set) from Walmart, I think it's $399. The Rainbow ones are $1000 and up, ouch. We bought a metal set for $229 4 years ago and it started rusting so we wanted to go the wood route this time so we can replace the wood/hardware as needed more easily, we hope at least. Not to mention being able to take it apart to move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Yes, we have the Rainbow, too. It was a very good investment! Our boys were always big and sturdy, if ykwim, so the build it yourself version they sell wouldn't have been sturdy enough. We've had it 6 years now, and there are always kids on it. Bil asked why we got one when there were two parks within walking distance; being able to send them out to play while I did something else, of course!! Just have to stain it once a year to maintain it. I'm figuring resale should be great, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a Rainbow, and we love it! We have three kids, and the youngest was just a baby when we bought it. The kids are on it every day in the summer, and a little bit in the winter. Youngest dd is just turning three next week, and she's just now starting to really get into it. We look forward to many more years of service. That thing is built like a rock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 :eek::eek::eek::eek: That's alot of money. Lowes has one for the same price with less stuff, but they come and set it up for you. THe Costco set comes to you in pieces. My oldest is 10 and he still swings alot, so I think they would get tons of use out of it, but it seems like a lot of money. We have 5 b-days coming up, so we were thinking of doing it for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If so, was it worth the $$$? Man those things are expensive. Are you glad you spent the money? Where did you get it? Is it holding up? Thanks so much. Dh and dfil constructed ours 11+ years ago and our kids thoroughly enjoyed it until we began to take it apart last fall for the move. Even at 15 and 11 yrs of age, they loved to go out there and swing together. They could go as high as they wanted without fear of tipping over! :D They enjoy it so much they want dh to reconstruct it here at the new place, even at their ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a rainbow one although we didn't pay for it. The people we rent from left it behind for us to use. It's definitely sturdy and I'd say worth the money. We also have one that we bought from Sam's club that has been dismantled and moved to my moms house and then reassembled for the few times we get to go back and visit (we live 1000 mi away) that one is also still very sound and was so worth it. My kid love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I am SOOOOO happy to read this!! We have a neighbor whose children are grown up now. She is GIVING us her Rainbow set!!! Woohoo! But, we have to pay to have it moved - it's $400. Sounds like it's worth it though! My kids cannot wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We bought our set when DCs were only 1&2y/o. It was a GREAT purchase for my children. They're physically pushing the limits and allowed them to safely have a place to do so. We disassembled ours two years ago, after 8 years of usage. The wood was beginning to split on a side beam. I would suggest buying a quality package such as Rainbow, if your children are young enough to warrant the expense and many years of play. Otherwise, buy the best wood available to ensure it lasts. Ten years ago DH built ours and it still cost us approx $800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 My dh built two of these, both Playstars from Menards, around $500 with the 25s.f. fort, rock wall, two swings, rings, and slide. It has been great. Took about 30 hours with cutting and drilling ourselves. He only needed another person to stand the fort up and then the A-frame. There is also a sandbox underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We got it from Sam's. Since we got it from Sam's, we didn't have any choices. I do wish we had gotten one that was more proportional to our yard. Our yard is tiny and the playset is huge. But, since our yard is tiny the playset really gives the girls a place to get their energy out. We have one from Sam's, too. It's 2+ years old, and it gets a ton of use. Worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaZ Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have two. (I know it's ridiculous.) One is a home made one with three levels that came with the house when we bought it. The other one is a super duper one from Sams that we bought as therapy equiptment. Then we added a hammock to round everything out. They are worth every penny. All the kids from ages 1 to 14 play on them. It was worth giving up half the yard to give the kids their very own park to play in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We just Freecycled ours. It held up well for 5 years. (We purchased a kit from Toys R US.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If so, was it worth the $$$? Man those things are expensive. Are you glad you spent the money? Where did you get it? Is it holding up? Thanks so much. Is DH handy at all? We bought a kit a Home Depot a few years ago. It came with the hardware and plans. We bought the wood separately and dh put it together. I think when it was all said and done it cost us about $600. He liked the kit because he got to make modifications that would help it last and we could shop around for the best price on wood. It is about 5 years old now and is in great shape. It survived our move from NJ to PA 3 years ago. The kids play on it every day. If you can swing the price, I highly recommend wooden versus metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugglin'5 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 That's alot of money. Lowes has one for the same price with less stuff, but they come and set it up for you. THe Costco set comes to you in pieces. My oldest is 10 and he still swings alot, so I think they would get tons of use out of it, but it seems like a lot of money. We have 5 b-days coming up, so we were thinking of doing it for those. If you can afford it, I would do it without a second thought, or guilt. Looking at the ages of your children, you have a lot of swinging years left! Those metal sets will not hold up to a large family and the weather - ask me how I know.:tongue_smilie: If we ever buy another set, it will be a nice wooden one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmgconner Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We bought a kit a Home Depot a few years ago. It came with the hardware and plans. We bought the wood separately and dh put it together. I think when it was all said and done it cost us about $600. He liked the kit because he got to make modifications that would help it last and we could shop around for the best price on wood. This is what we did, as well. We LOVE our playset. It get used multiple times every day. We've had it for 4 years and are still loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 It was about $700 on sale. That was 4 years ago.....it needs to have a sealant put on the wood (like you would do a deck) but it is in great shape. My dc are 14, 11, & 9 and they still use it almost everyday. Swinging, climbing, sliding, sitting out there to read a book, etc.... It was a great investment and lots of fun for them and their friends. We bought the Home Depot kit and built it ourselves. I think ours cost $800. The price depends which accessories you want. I had considered the wholesale club set which my friends purchased but it seemed a bit rickety. The HD set is solid and well made. Ours is probably 6 years old and in excellent shape. It will probably still be around when my grandkids come to play :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a CedarWorks play set and yes, it is worth the money. Dds have played with it every day weather permits for the 4 years we have owned it. We have a teeter totter too from the same company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorna in the boonies Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We bought a kit from Lowe's and put it up for our 15 y/o's third birthday. When we moved in 2005, we left it behind. The people who moved into our house are still using it. Since we were down to only one child who really still used it when we moved, when we got here we just bought a cheap $150 metal one from Wal-Mart. It will work just fine until she outgrows it, but if I had younger kids, I'd definitely spring for the wooden set if I could afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 A hint when purchasing a Rainbow set--ask for a FLOOR MODEL. Sure the wood will be a little sun-faded (but that will happen anyway)! The cost was nearly HALF (and we talked them into free delivery/set up). The one we chose had a swing chain length of 9ft. We have 2 teens and one 6yo--the teens spend more time on it that the little one! We also spent about $600 more and build a raised 'play yard' filled with the tiny pebbles...our regular yard is 99% rock so we did this to prevent injury (it also helps with drainage--kids can play just after it rains without getting muddy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We got one about 7 years ago and put a sandbox in the bottom. It still gets a lot of use. dd8 and ds7 like to take stuff out into the fort part and play house while ds2 plays in the sand underneath them. They all like the swings although the bar for the gym rings broke. The slide probably gets the least amount of use other than as a means of getting in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.J. at J.A. Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If so, was it worth the $$$? Man those things are expensive. Are you glad you spent the money? Where did you get it? Is it holding up? Thanks so much. We bought the one from Costco (it is Sunray Premium Playset by Rainbow) for $1300, 3 years ago (plus another $300 for our neighbor to assemble it). We just sold it for $750. Not a bad return on our money. I think we waited too long to purchase it (my youngest was 4), and so that is why we didn't keep it for very long...the boys lost interest. Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a Swing N Slide set (the Pioneer) http://www.swing-n-slide.com/swingsets_customrta.htm with a couple of add-ons. Our set has 3 regular swings plus the bench swing that fits two adults. No way I was going to build a big ole swing set without a swing for me! ;) We also have the rings that can replace a swing, and monkey bars that come onto the slide platform. Grandparents pitched in for the set for two-birthdays. We got our set hardware from an Ace hardware store, which has a very good selection of extras, and we purchased our wood from a local lumberyard. We only got kiln dried for the legs, and green wood for the rest, and we used a wood stain sealer right away so that it wouldn't rot. So the wood only cost about $200, and it's still in beautiful shape more than 6 years later. The kids use it just about every day, even 13 yo ds. If you have a circular saw and a drill with bits and a screw tip, it goes together quite easily. But if you're not handy with the tools, Swing n Slide now also sells kits with the wood already cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 When my oldest was still little (sniff, sniff...where does the time go?), I so wanted a cool wooden play structure. I was floored by how much they cost, though, and just couldn't imagine shelling out that kind of money to entertain kids outside. Of course, we have a lot of space so they have more options, but at that point, my older two didn't go beyond the yard to play. Any-hoo, we never bought one and once my longing passed, I realized I'm glad not to have taken up space with a play structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have one that dh built. He's an amatuer carpenter. He did a great job; we've had it for about 5 years and it's held up well. Since he paid only for materials, I'd say the cost was around $300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaZ Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We also spent about $600 more and build a raised 'play yard' filled with the tiny pebbles...our regular yard is 99% rock so we did this to prevent injury (it also helps with drainage--kids can play just after it rains without getting muddy). We have a raised play area filled with a foot of mulch. It really helps sine our youngest like to go across the monkey bars and then drop to the ground. Nothing broken yet. (boys or play set.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 I'm just thinking of asking dh to do this for ds' birthday next week...so all of these replies have been great. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlq4 Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 When we were looking for a play set, we wanted a nice one (like the Rainbow) but we didn't want to pay thousands for it. We really liked the quality of the Rainbow, but it wasn't in our budget. I put an advertisement, in our local metro paper, looking for a used Rainbow Playset. My husband thought I was crazy. I still remember, we got a call on Easter evening from a man, who actually worked for Rainbow, stating that he wanted to sell his kids playset. We got it for a great price ($800 or $900). He threw in a new baby swing, a new top cover & flags, a new rope ladder, and a new side swing. Buying it used saved us over $3000. We just had to pick it up. We brought it home, stained it, and it was just like new! That was 8 years ago, and our sons (now 9yo and 12 yo) still play on it. Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have a Rainbow also. We bought it from some friends when they moved so it already had several years on it. It is still in great shape (except for the tarp cover for the fort part that needs replaced) and we all play on it - 10ds, 12dd, dh and myself. It was totally worth it for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 If you're not afraid to move it and do a little assembly, look on craigslist. We just got a wooden swing n slide swingset for $50. It doesn't have the huge fort and everything, just the swingset, but that's what we wanted. There are many affordable ones, and I even saw some free (but they go quick, so you have to keep looking) I'm so glad we got it. The kids have been on it almost every day, and they can swing HARD without it moving or swaying. The lady we got it from had children in college, so it was old, but you wouldn't even know it by looking. She stained it every year and it's in great condition. The lil' bit crazy part is that I drove it home on top of our minivan lol Worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamagistra Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We have this one with a rung ladder instead of the rock wall. It is still a big hit after six years. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leighton Academy Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We bought one a couple of years ago from Sam's. It was about $1000 and it was worth EVERY penny! We moved this past year and sold the play set with the house. I wish everyday that we had just moved it across the country with us. I want to get another one soooo bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommylawyer Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 We bought one at Wal-Mart a couple of summers ago - on BIG TIME SALE! The kids LOVE it - although, I cringe whenever more than 5 or 6 kids play on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We built our own for WAAAYYY less $$$. Way. Less. And it wasn't too difficult, although I will say having a mitre saw made it much easier. But the cost difference is so huge it would make sense to rent a mitre saw if you have a little woodworking knowledge. We bought the swings themselves, some climbing holds, and a fabric fort cover, and the lumber and bolts. It took about two weeks to make. We modified a design from Kid's Places to Play: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kids+places+to+play&x=0&y=0. We even made it 10-ft tall. It's a big kids' swingset and fort that won't be outgrown anytime soon. I think it was totally worth it. I'll attach a photo below. The gravel pit shown was already there (what a blessing!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 I'll be the lone person saying I don't think ours was worth it. But if our children were different personalities, that opinion would likely change, it just so happens my older son only likes competitive play, and imaginative games and exercise don't appeal to him. Different strokes. We bought a Rainbow floor model. I chose Rainbow because the preschool DS attended had one, engraved with the date it was donated, some 20 years previously. Well. Considering how many 4yo kids who played on it every day for 20 years, I was impressed with how solidly it was built. Fast forward a couple of years after ours was installed. A tornado ripped through our back yard and took out several mature trees (before wreaking more damage on the rest of the neighborhood) but not a bit of damage was done to our playset. Nada. I didn't get a canopy because I thought they were too gaudy for our little backyard, and we let ours weather to a lovely gray that blends in better than stained cedar would. Our younger DS still plays on the playset when his friends come over, so we're still getting some use out of it, but it is a pain to mow around, let me tell ya. But I anticipate getting at least $500 out of it when it comes time to sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomo3 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Totally worth it. We got ours when my oldest was 1--so 12 yrs ago. It is still in great shape and they still like to get on the swings and just chill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We have a Rainbow Castle like Mamagistra's. It gets used just about everyday and has held up to my kids for 4 years. That's like 20 normal kid-years :w00t:!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpklehm Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We got ours from Costco about 7-8 years ago. My husband put it together (not an easy job) and has reinforced it over the years. It has lasted quite well and each time we have the deck refinished, we have them do the play structure, too. It still looks nice and the kids play on it regularly, even the kids next door who don't have one. It was worth the $$$ for us, definitely. PAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdrcook Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 The Rainbow ones start at 1500 I think, difference being they set it up for you. Dr. Cook is not mechanically inclined and would prefer someone else do the assembly. :) We are hoping to be able to afford one soon. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We bought our play-set as a kit from Lowe's 7 years ago. Dh and fil built it themselves, with help from my then 4 year old ds. He loved that he got to help daddy and grandpa build his swing set. My boys still use our play-set and it was definitely worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 I purchased a Rainbow playset about 12 years ago (used - but only a couple of years old) and sold it 2 months ago for the same price I paid for it. Best money I ever spent! Check out the craigslist.com in your area. I sold mine that way. It held up very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We bought one at Costco. It was a Christmas gift from their grandparents to all four kids. It has been wonderful. It is used every day and has held up wonderfully. Well worth the money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We have one that dh built. He's an amatuer carpenter. He did a great job; we've had it for about 5 years and it's held up well. Since he paid only for materials, I'd say the cost was around $300. That's what we have and it has been nice. We had a lot of wood lying around so our costs were probably lower than that. It is very nice to have a dh that is handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 We got ours from friends who were moving. It cost about a $100.00 to have it taken somewhat apart and moved a few miles to our house. Look for friends with teenagers who might be delighted to have you take theirs off of their hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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